About

Amer Ismail is a New York-born, Malaysian artist based in London. Working primarily in ink on paper, Ismail investigates time, memory and identity. His oeuvre developed from a childhood fascination with imaginary cities, an interest which led to a Diploma in Architecture and a Masters Degree in Urban Design. His architectural career begun in earnest working with Norman Foster and Thomas Heatherwick.

Architectural drawing and illustration naturally led on to his early forays into art, and he drew upon his childhood obsession for his first series: ‘Globe’ which comprised of imaginary cities meticulously documented in five-point perspective projections.

His ‘Time’ series comprises active lines taken on a journey, circumscribing themselves like elaborate and obsessive doodles to form much larger, expressive, abstract ‘landscapes’. These compositions appear to be delicately woven as if they might unravel. Ismail uses these drawings to document the passing of time; his works are diaries of obsessive journeys which often last for weeks or months.

Amer Ismail lives and works in London.

Text by Dominic Wilson

EXHIBITIONS

2020 Encounter, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – solo exhibition
2019 Galleries at MAS, Manarat al-Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2018 Chance, Cuadro Gallery, Dubai, UAE – solo exhibition
2018 Abu Dhabi Art, Manarat al-Saadiyat, UAE
2017 Summer Exhibition, The Concept Space, London, UK
2005 Dreams, Plans, Visions, Modern Art Oxford, UK

Amer is the inaugural receiver for Cultural Heritage Digitisation Emerging Artist grant 2018-2019
A grant allowing for professional documentation of valuable artworks